Find out how popular the last name Probus is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Probus.

Probus, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Probus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Probus in America

Probus is the 34465th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Probus surname appeared 657 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Probus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Probus to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Probus

The surname PROBUS originated in ancient Rome, derived from the Latin word "probus," meaning "good" or "virtuous." It was likely initially used as a nickname or cognomen for someone considered upright or morally praiseworthy.

In the early centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, the name persisted in various regions that had been part of the former Roman territories, including parts of modern-day Italy, France, and Spain. It was often spelled Probo or Probo in these areas during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PROBUS can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Probus" in several entries, suggesting that individuals bearing this surname had arrived in England by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the PROBUS surname was relatively uncommon but can be found in various historical records across Europe. For instance, a Petrus Probus is mentioned in a 13th-century document from the city of Bologna, Italy.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Probus, a Welsh landowner and member of the gentry. He was born around 1320 and served as a Member of Parliament for Glamorgan in the 1360s.

Another prominent individual with the PROBUS surname was the Italian humanist scholar Marcus Antonius Probus, who lived from 1443 to 1508. He was a renowned professor of rhetoric and philosophy at several universities in Italy.

In the 16th century, the PROBUS name appeared in some place names, such as Probus, a village in Cornwall, England, which likely derived its name from an early inhabitant with this surname.

During the 17th century, a notable bearer of the PROBUS name was Sir John Probus, an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1661 to 1663.

As the PROBUS surname spread throughout Europe and beyond, its spelling variations multiplied, including Probst, Probusz, and Probus, among others. However, the core meaning and origins of the name remained rooted in its ancient Roman heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Probus

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Probus.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Probus was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Probus has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Probus was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Probus, please contact us.

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